Recurrent intermittend abdominal pain and vomiting for about 1 week. Last bowel movement yesterday - unremarkable. No dysuria. Subfebrile temperature. Reduced general appearance, very slim body.Abdomen distended, diffuse tenderness, palpable resistance in the right mid- and lower abdomen with mild guarding. Few peristalsis in all four quadrants.

Magnetic forces act throughout the bowel wall and lead to compression related damage, dysmotility and kinking. Severe injuries and damages of the small bowel, including ischemia, peritonitis and even a case report about death have been described.

Magnets are more frequently seen in nurseries and playrooms due to the arise of new toy variants. The development of extrem strong magnets by the industry brings also new, partly unknown sources of danger to the children. The so called Neodym magnets have an extrem strong force of gravity, which can even cause contusions of fingers. One can easily imagine that ingestion of such kind of magnets may cause rapidly damage to the bowel wall. The magnets attract each other and always try to unite, where the bowel wall does not present an obsticle.

First description / History:

Injuries due to magnets are known for a longer time in Japan, because magnets are commonly used for muscle relaxation therapy. Severe injuries of the small bowel, including ischemia, peritonitis and death have been described.